Meta-analysis of Gene Expression Data Identifies Causal Genes for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death in male populations across the globe. With the advent of geneexpression arrays, many microarray studies have been conducted in prostate cancer, but the results have variedacross different studies. To better understand the genetic and biologic mechanisms of prostate cancer, we conducteda meta-analysis of two studies on prostate cancer. Eight key genes were identified to be differentially expressedwith progression. After gene co-expression analysis based on data from the GEO database, we obtained a coexpressedgene list which included 725 genes. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that these genes are involvedin actin filament-based processes, locomotion and cell morphogenesis. Further analysis of the gene list shouldprovide important clues for developing new prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.